Ichiro’s talents may have diminished somewhat over recent seasons, butthere still are instances when he can turn back the clock.

The nightcap of Wednesday’s day-night doubleheader with the Blue Jayswas one of those occasions as Ichiro capped a four-hit performance with atiebreaking single with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning in a2-1 win.

“I go up to the plate, thinking that I’m going to get a hit every timeat the plate,” Ichiro said through an interpreter. “The results weredifferent today and I’m not quite sure what the difference was, but Idid go up there with the mindset that I was going to get a hit.”

Ichiro helped the Yankees win four straight for the first time in over amonth and improve to 9-4 in their last 13 games. More importantly, hisfirst four-hit game as a Yankee and his 7-for-8 showing in thedoubleheader kept the Yankees atop the AL East, one game ahead of theOrioles.

“I came in the middle of the season and I always wanted to contribute,”Ichiro said. “I always wanted to be able to help in the pennant race andtoday was a great day. Hopefully I can continue to do what I can tohelp the team.”

The biggest of Ichiro’s seven hits came in the eighth inning of thesecond game and was set up by some small ball involving power hitterCurtis Granderson. Granderson opened the inning by drawing a walk, wassacrificed to second by Jayson Nix, stole his first base since July 25and scored the go-ahead run when Ichiro lined a 1-1 fastball into leftfield.

“I don’t know if you ever imagine a guy going 7-for-8 in a day,” Yankeesmanager Joe Girardi said. “We knew he could get huge hits for us. Weknew he could do a lot of different things for us. He’s just a heads-upplayer and you saw a lot of it today.”

Ichiro became the seventh Yankee to record at least three hits in bothgames of a doubleheader. He also tied a career high with four steals,becoming the first Yankee to have four hits and four steals in the samegame since Rickey Henderson in 1988 at Toronto.

“That’s tough to do man, a doubleheader, I don’t think I’ve ever donethat in a doubleheader,” Yankee captain Derek Jeter said. “I’ve been onthe other side, 0-for-8, but Ich he did what he always does. He’s atough at-bat. He puts the ball in play. He gets on the bases and makesthings happen. But that was a much needed day from him and for us.”

“I feel like he’s getting hot again,” right-fielder Nick Swisher said.“You saw today when he gets rolling it’s really hard to stop him. Itfeels like he’s hitting the ball everywhere -- down the left field line,the right field line, left center, right center. He’s just doing agreat job. I’m glad we picked him up.”

Ichiro also collected at least six hits in a doubleheader for the thirdtime and for the first time since 2004 at Baltimore. He also posted his49th career four-hit game.

“It’s an easy game for him, I guess,” catcher Chris Stewart said. “He’s having a lot of fun and it’s good to see.”

Ichiro almost was not going to play since Toronto was starting aleft-hander, but his 9-for-25 showing off Ricky Romero was too good toignore. His performance might have earned him some increased playingtime against southpaws according to Girardi.

Before getting Ichiro’s go-ahead hit, the Yankees had plenty of chancesto strike against Romero. Those chances went to waste due to a 2-for-11showing with runners in scoring position and nine left on in the sixinnings against Romero.

Romero was matched by David Phelps, who continued thriving in the RamiroMendoza role of a versatile pitcher. He pitched effectively into theseventh, allowing one run and three hits while throwing a career-high110 pitches on a night when the Yankees sorely needed some distance.

“Doubleheaders are tough,” Jeter said. “It’s tough to beat a team twicein one day. We had two close games but our pitching deserves credit --Andy and our bullpen in the first one and the same thing here in thenight game. If you pitch like this you’re going to have a chance to winand it was a much-needed day for us.”